This piece is my response to the modern phenomenon of urban graffiti. I am always struck by the proliferation of graffiti when travelling by train, tube or bus through major city centres. It has become an integral part of the contemporary urban landscape, reflecting many of the facets of our society and youth culture. The practice shows no sign of slowing down despite the best efforts of councils and local governments to stamp it out. (A trawl through the internet will reveal the strength of feeling on this subject in many US cities.) Often one can see two types of graffiti: that which is known as ‘tagging’ of walls and vehicles, and what one might call the high-art, colourful, large-canvas works on walls and streets. Many of the artists creating the latter type have become international figures within the contemporary art establishment.
Large-scale graffiti works, which are often highly charged, intense and emotive, were quite influential in this piece and are reflected through the gestures and energetic nature of the musical material.
Off the Wall uses mainly extended techniques on the four instruments, with the performer
s often playing in the highest registers and at times using the whole body of the instruments as sound producers and resonators. Many passages involve frantic glissando gestures (which, coincidentally, look like a form of musical ‘tagging’ on the score). The material of the piece borrows ideas from my work in electronic music where sound objects are created, polished and manipulated in a musical discourse that has its own logic without conforming to conventional notions of melody and harmony.
Off the Wall was commissioned by Music Network for the New Helsinki String Quartet and supported by the National Lottery though the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The work was premiered on 1st November 2001.
Large-scale graffiti works, which are often highly charged, intense and emotive, were quite influential in this piece and are reflected through the gestures and energetic nature of the musical material.
Off the Wall uses mainly extended techniques on the four instruments, with the performer
s often playing in the highest registers and at times using the whole body of the instruments as sound producers and resonators. Many passages involve frantic glissando gestures (which, coincidentally, look like a form of musical ‘tagging’ on the score). The material of the piece borrows ideas from my work in electronic music where sound objects are created, polished and manipulated in a musical discourse that has its own logic without conforming to conventional notions of melody and harmony.
Off the Wall was commissioned by Music Network for the New Helsinki String Quartet and supported by the National Lottery though the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The work was premiered on 1st November 2001.
| off_the_wall_sample.pdf |
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